Buoyant Arriva will focus effort on Europe

The fight to take control of Southern Railways when the major commuter route from Victoria comes up for grabs may not include Arriva.

Executives at the passenger train group said today it sees bigger prizes to be won on the Continent.

The franchise to run Southern, currently operated by Go-Ahead Group, ends next year and the invitations to tender are expected soon from the Department for Transport.

But while National Express has already claimed it will be a strong challenger in the bidding, David Martin, chief executive of Arriva, was far more sanguine.

'It is possible we may bid but it is not something that we have to win,' he said.

'We have many opportunities in mainland Europe and the bidding for franchises in the UK is now becoming much more competitive, not only amongst the UK-based operators but also with the emergence of foreign entrants.'

Arriva is almost alone among the UK train and bus passenger transport operators to fling itself headlong into Europe, with FirstGroup and Stagecoach concentrating efforts on the US.

Significant operations in the UK are also held by Arriva - CrossCountry, recently won from Virgin Trains, Arriva Trains Wales and nearly a fifth of the London bus market - but its European businesses now account for more than half the group.